Impact Stories
Leah’s Story: An Expressive Toddler Who Is Blossoming
Background
Leah was born with congenital hearing loss in one ear. Her family was referred to Early Intervention Services (EI) from the hospital to provide therapeutic services during the critical years for communication and language development. EI’s Speech-Language Pathologist Gretchen Finchum has been providing therapeutic services and support to the Leah and her family.
Early Intervention Services
Gretchen has been a constant in this child’s life since Leah was six months old. (she is now 20 months old). The family incorporated sign language early in her development and they have been fabulous advocates for their child in developing communication skills.
Gretchen provides speech and language therapies and serves as the family’s Service Coordinator. Weekly she works with the toddler, led by the child’s interests which may be stuffed animals, dolls, or a craft. During their time together, Gretchen naturally incorporates activities focused on language development including common sounds and frequencies that can be more challenging for a child with unilateral hearing loss (e.g., softer sounds or higher frequency sounds).
In between each therapeutic session at the child’s home, Gretchen suggests some homework for the family to incorporate easily into their daily lives throughout the course of the next week. Early Intervention Services are family-centric and child-led, so ideas and suggestions for the upcoming week may address a recent challenge that family has shared or a communication developmental area to try. Examples may be helping improve their daughter’s speech when other non-family members are present if she is becoming noticeably shy or helping her learn to take her turn when communicating. With an older brother, ideas may also include involving the big brother more in using sign language in family conversations.
Primary Specialist and Service Provider – expanding access to family support and state services
As the EI Service Coordinator for the family, Gretchen referred the family to Minuteman Arc in Concord, MA to offer additional support. They offer center-based support including groups for the family and child along with additional individual speech therapy weekly. As a partner with Partners in Child Development’s Early Intervention Services program for the Greater Lowell catchment area, Minuteman Arc assists with connecting this family with other families with young children with hearing loss and connects the family with state-wide resources including the MCDHOH (Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing) who assigns a case manager to work with the child and family until adulthood.
Given EI services are provided up to age three, Gretchen is also integral in helping the family prepare for the transition to pre-school offering support, resources, and advocacy to assist the family in evaluating school options that will best support the needs of their daughter.
Benefits to Child and Family
Today Leah is an expressive toddler and keen observer who loves to try anything new. She continues to develop and improve her communication skills working with Speech-language pathologist Gretchen Finchum from Early Intervention Services.
As part of the weekly therapies, Gretchen anticipates speech areas to increase her being understood by others. Such EI therapies provided during this important stage in her growth and development will contribute to her ability to effectively communicate, both receptively and expressively.
Leah‘s family has embraced the total communication (TC) approach to her learning from early infancy. TC includes using speech, sign language, gestures, pictures, and facial expressions. The family’s adoption of strategies into daily routines combined with EI’s weekly services has resulted in a toddler who is blossoming.
It is wonderful to see Leah interacting with her peers and family using the skills that (Partners in Child Development’s) Early Intervention Services has helped her develop! They were also very helpful in connecting us to Minute Man Arc Early Intervention’s “Deaf and Hard of Hearing” program.
– Kara, mother, North Chelmsford, MA
Impact Stories
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